The dog days of summer have yet to hit the Tri-Cities and, for one Port Moody business, they might not come until next year.
While food carts have proven all the rage in Vancouver recently, the management of Port Moody's Boathouse restaurant was hoping to capitalize on the craze this summer by opening a hot dog vending cart at Rocky Point Park.
The Boathouse has the cart, the location and the city's signature on a Licence of Occupation agreement, approved in a June 28 closed-door council meeting.
What they haven't had yet are the blessings of meteorologists or mechanics as the sun has hardly shone on Rocky Point this summer and has hardly set on the Boathouse cart's list of "massive repairs" needing to be done before opening, according to one restaurant manager.
"If we don't get it out by this weekend, it won't happen. It just won't be worth it," Boathouse general manager Amber Brownlee said.
On Monday, the cart's water pump and water lines were replaced and Brownlee was optimistic it could be slinging dogs and drinks in the park by the weekend. But with so little summer left, Brownlee said it might not be worth staffing until next year.
"There's still health inspections and a business licence before we're allowed to go ahead, so I can't really promise anything at this stage but we'll know by the end of this week," Brownlee said.
The cart was one of two that last year operated beside the Boathouse's Kitsilano Beach location in Vancouver, selling hot dogs, chips and drinks. After last summer, Boathouse management decided to leave one cart open in Kits and bring the other to Rocky Point.
If and when the Boathouse food cart opens in PoMo, it is unlikely to have much impact on at least one neighbouring business in the park. Rocky Point Ice Cream's lease agreement with the city stipulates that no other business can move in and sell ice cream in the park.
